Temperature control attachment for plunger lift devices



Oct. 31, 1933. N, H. RlcKER TEMPERATURE CONTROL ATTACHMENT FOR PLUNGER LIFT DEVICES Filed Feb. 15. 1952 "BUEN "Hu l l .Jil

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Patented oct. 31, 1933 1,932,481

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICEl TEMPERATURE CONTROL ATTACIIMENT` FOR PLUNGER LIFT DEVICES j Norman H. Rieker, Houston, Tex., assignor to Hughes Tool Company, Houston, Tex., a corporation of Texas Application February 13, 1932. Serial No. 592,824 3 claims. (ci. 10a- 52) My invention relates to plunger lift devices and 8 to connect with the extension 9 upon the educhas particular application to the feed line' by tion tube 10. means of which the pressure fluid is allowed to The interior of the flow head is formed with a enter the Well casing. lateral shoulder 11 to support the head 12 on the In fluid lift devices the liquidinthe well is raised eduction tube 10. The extension 9 of the educ- 60 t the surface by means of a swab plunger which tion tube fits closely Within the head and is slidis moved with its load of liquidfrom the lower end able therein for purpose of assembly. The said of the eduction tube to the surface by means of extension has lateral outlets 13 leading to the air or gas pressure. Where gas from the well .is chamber 14 within the flowhead thus allowing produced in insufficient quantities to raise lthe the passage of liquid from the tube at the outlet 6. g5 plunger with its load of liquid, gas or air is intro- The upper end of the extension 9 is closed by the duced from the surface and provision is made to capv 15. restrict the ow of gas through the inlet pipe to The gas line 4 is the line through which the the Well so that it will enter at a uniform rate supply of gas under pressure is introduced to the 15 sufcient to maintain the fluid pressure in the well Chamber 16 between the tubing and the eduction 70 and to lift the plunger, but preventing its sudden tube. My improvement consists of extending this rush to the well and to the eduction .tube when gas line transversely through the ow line for the plunger discharges its load. By restricting the liquid being pumped. this pressure fluid by passing it through a small In my preferred form of apparatus for accomorifice, expansion of the gas at the orifice will plishing this, I employ a tting 18 in the flow 75 result in freezing of liquid carried thereby parline. This fitting has opposite connections 19 ticularly when the atmospheric temperature is not and 20 thereon to receive a flow nipple 21. As far above freezing. will be seen from Fig. l, I have one end of said It is an object of my invention to extend the nipple enlarged and threaded at 22 to engage inlet pipe for the pressure fluid through the liquid Within the threaded seat in the port 19. Between 30 outlet pipe in such manner that it may be mainthe ends of the nipple, the diameter of the same tained at a proper temperature during the cold is reduced at 23 and .threaded to receive a choke weather when the inlet line is liable to be choked member 24. The reduced end of the nipple is up at the control orifice due to expansion of the extended through a stuffing box 25 in the port 20.

gas and resulting freezing. The lower end of the nipple is connected to the 85 I desire to locate the choke orifice in the inlet inlet line 4 previously noted. f

gas lines at a point where it is subjected to the The gas or-air under pressure which is fed into temperature of the liquid flowing from the Well the casing is compelled to pass through the choke thereby maintaining the gas line at the point member 24. This choke is arranged with an where expansion occursl at a temperature above orifice of sufficient diameter to regulate the pas- 90, freezing and thus preventing the clogging of the sage o f gas to the well at the desired rate and it orifice. is to be understood that this choke member may In the drawing herewith Fig. l is a vertical secbe changed as desired to suit the particular size tion through a portion of the flow line and illusof orifice necessary under the circiunstances. By

trating the extendingof the gas line transversely placing this choke member in the nipple 21 ex- 95 of the flow line. vtending transversely of the flow line, the tem- Fig. 2 is a side view of the upper end 0f a perature may be maintained at the temperature 4plunger lift installation with my invention applied of the liquidbeing pumped, and will, therefore, theretO, Certain parte being 'DllOken away in Vertibe above the freezing point and the freezing of Cal SeCiOIlthe fluid passing through the control choke mem- 100 The upper end of the well casing is shown at 1. ber 24 will be avoided. It is connected to a now head 2 having a lateral In this way I am enabled to supply gaseous inlet et 3 fOr the gas line 4- On the ODPOSite side pressure iiuid to the well at a uniform slow rate 0f the flOW head iS a lateral DOIS which iSnOrand in suflieient quantities to operate the plunger mally closed but which may be used in emerlift without thedanger or the controiorince being 105 gencies as a flow line if such becomes desirable. continuany chked through freezing of liquid Toward the Aupper end of the flow head is the therein during @01d weather, liquid Outlet D011? 6. Having described my invention, what I claim is:

The upper end 0f the 110W heed iS ClOSed by e 1. In aplunger lift device including a flow head, bonnet?, the upper end 0f Whieh iS threaded et an eduction tube therein, a now line connected 110 with said How head to receive the liquid from said eduction tube, a gas line through which pressure iiuid may be introduced into said flow head, said gas line being associated with said flow line, and a control choke member in said gas line positioned to be subjected to the temperature of the liquid in said iiow line.

` 2. In a plunger lift device having a flow head, an eduction tube discharging therethrough to the oW line, the method of discharging gaseous fluid to said flow head and into the well including controlling the flow by restricting the inlet opening to a predetermined size and regulating the temmenacer perature of the fluid passing through said inlet so that freezing at the opening may be prevented.

3. In a plunger lift device having a ow head, an eduction tube discharging therethrough to the ow line, the method of discharging gaseous fluid to said flow head and into the Well-including controlling the flow by restricting the inlet opening to a predetermined size and regulating the temperature of the gaseous uid at said inlet opening by subjecting it to the temperature of the ud in said flow line.

NORMAN H. BICI/ER.

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